Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Therefore, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to continuously develop new games and improved gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play through enhanced entertainment value to the player.
One concept that has been successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is the concept of a “secondary” or “bonus” game that may be played in conjunction with a “basic” game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely different from the basic game, which is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome in the basic game. Generally, bonus games provide a greater expectation of winning than the basic game and may also be accompanied with more attractive or unusual video displays and/or audio. Bonus games may additionally award players with “progressive jackpot” awards that are funded, at least in part, by a percentage of coin-in from the gaming machine or a plurality of participating gaming machines. Because the bonus game concept offers tremendous advantages in player appeal and excitement relative to other known games, and because such games are attractive to both players and operators, there is a continuing need to develop gaming machines with new types of bonus games to satisfy the demands of players and operators.
Gaming machines utilize processors to control the operation of the gaming machine, including game play and administrative features. Traditionally, the processor of a gaming machine operates at a relatively constant voltage level and operating frequency. This results in the power consumption of the gaming machine processor being relatively constant while the gaming machine is powered on and operational. A gaming machine in a casino or other host location may be actively being played by a player or may be sitting unused depending on the occupancy of the casino and player interest in the gaming machine. A problem exists in that an unused gaming machine unnecessarily consumes excessive power via its processor at a time when the processor is not performing significant functions. Furthermore, during an intermediate state (e.g. money has been inserted into the gaming machine but gameplay has not yet begun), the processor continues to dissipate excessive power relative to the functions it performs. Moreover, variable power demands of the processor not managed dynamically or automatically via software are inefficient. The embodiments of the invention are directed to solving one or more of these and other problems.